[This original version of this article is from the July 28, 2004, issue of the Online Job Search Guide, Job-Hunt's free twice-a-month e-mailed newsletter. It seems more appropriate in 2008, so it has been updated.]

     If a candidate or an issue is important to you in the upcoming elections, or if you have a lot of time on your hands and nothing better to do, volunteer to support your "side," and political party your way to a new job or, at a least, to a bigger network, regardless of the election's outcome. People make lasting friendships, create new businesses or expand their client base, and even land jobs (inside government and outside).

     How can you political party your way to your next job?

• Find a candidate or cause you truly support. Track down the appropriate Website for the candidate or cause, and click on the "volunteer" or "join" link.
  
  There will probably be committees focused on different aspects of the campaign. Join the one most logical for you, if you can - the needs of the campaign may take priority over what you want, at least initially.
  
  
• If no one asks for your resume, give (or e-mail) copies of your resume to key people at the top of the campaign staff as soon as you can.
  
  Include a short "cover letter" highlighting your areas of expertise and experience or education that are relevant to the campaign. They may not read your message or remember, so, also, tell them what you can do to help the campaign.
  
  
• If you have the right experience and expertise, a (very!) few positions may actually come with a salary.
  
  It depends on the campaign, your skill set, your timing, and the budget, obviously, but you could get lucky.
  
  
• Even if you don't land one of the paid positions, build a reputation as a key volunteer.
  
  Work hard, and be reliable. Take your volunteer assignments seriously - as seriously as though you were being paid to do them. You will stand out from the people who are not reliable.
  
  Make note of the people you like and respect and also the ones who could be good networking contacts for you.
  
  
• When someone asks you what you do for a living - assuming you are unemployed - tell them you are "between paid assignments, getting ready for your next great job opportunity as a [fill in the blank with the specific job you want and the employer or employers you have targeted]."
  
  
• Before the election (in your spare time), start preparing for post-election networking.
  
  If you don't already have cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses from other, start collecting that information for post-election networking. It's easy to start a LinkedIn, Yahoo, Meetup, or Google Group so everyone can stay in touch. If you do set up a group, make sure everyone knows about it.
  
  
• After the election is over, hand out (or e-mail) udated copies of your resume to the people with whom you worked, and ask your fellow volunteers for their resumes. Then help each other get those next jobs.
  

The UP Side:

• You will be making a contribution to our county and our society, hopefully.
  
  
• You will meet new people - new contacts for your expanding personal network - people with whom you will have something important in common. Don't lose track of them. LinkedIn, Yahoo, etc. can be very helpful for that.
  
  
• You will learn new things and have new skills to add to your resume.
  
  
• You may collect enthusiastic recommendations and/or people to use as references in your job search.
  
  
• If you are unemployed and asked about the "gap" on your resume between your last job and your next one, you will have a great story to tell.
  
  
• You have a great excuse to hand out your resume to people who may be in a position to hire you after the election is over.
  
  
• You will feel better about yourself, be more confident, and better connected, even if your candidate loses.

The Down Side:

• Your stand on a controversial issue or in support of a specific candidate may make people on the "other side" unhappy with you. The question is whether or not you would have been happy working for someone who does not support the person or cause that you do. Maybe yes; maybe no.

The Bottom Line:

     At the end of the process, you may have succeeded in getting your candidate elected or your cause advanced. Even if your side loses, you will have greatly expanded your personal network and, also, your understanding of how our government really works.

     For more job networking ideas, read Job-Hunt's "Tapping the Hidden Job Market" article.

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About the author...

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. Susan is a two-time layoff "graduate" who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. In 1998, her company, NETability, Inc. purchased Job-Hunt.org, and Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt since then.

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